Grappling SteeleTranscribed by Leslie
from the Episode Written by:Rick Mittleman

A view of a wrestling ring, within which two professional wrestlers
are engaged in a match. The one dressed in a black leotard and
bow-tie has the other man, with feathers in his hair, in a head
lock and is punching him.

In the audience sit Mildred and Laura. "Aren't these seats
great?" Mildred asks Laura as she munches on popcorn.

Back to the two wrestlers, who are throwing each other around.
Boos erupt from the audience in response to the actions of the
bow-tied man.

"Two days ago. You can still see his shoe prints in the
carpet. Ask Mildred."

Laura opens the door to the outer office. Clearing her throat
she calls out to the secretary, "Ok Millie. Front and center."

Mildred enters and to Steele says, "I know this case has
been rejected, but I think Crunch really needs our help. I had
to go to the boss for a second opinion."

"The boss has spoken, Mildred," he replies.

"She means me and she has a point," Laura comments.

"Aaaahhh," smiling Mildred nods in agreement with
Laura.

"You keep out of this," he says to Mildred. Turning
to Laura he asks, "I thought
we had a partnership?"

"We do. But it remains my agency and I have to be involved
in all major decisions. Now I think that Mildred may be right
in this case. Crunch appears to be on the level. So, if you'll
excuse me." Laura heads back to her office.

Back in her office Laura asks Crunch, "Surely you receive
a lot of crank mail. What makes you think that whoever's behind
these death threats is serious?"

"Well, two days ago, I was working out in the weight room,
when zappo!" he answers.

"Zappo?" she questions.

"Yeah it was like this." Laying down on the floor,
Crunch demonstrates what happened. "I put the barbell down
on the supports and zappo, the legs collapsed. Four hundred pounds
across the throat. I would have been dead for sure if my pop hadn't
have been there."

Steele who has re-entered the office as Crunch explains his
accident comments, "Remarkable," he says drily. "And
when you checked the supports, you found they'd been tampered
with. Right?"

Crunch looks up at him from the floor. "Yeah. How did
you know?"

"Oh, call it a hunch." Steele once again gestures
for Laura to join him.

"Another moment Crunch." Laura follows Steele to
the other office.

Steele sits down beside a plant. "Laura this, ah, death
threat routine is as transparent as the man's occupation. It is
pure hype."

"I disagree. I think Crunch is genuinely afraid for his
life."

"Based on what? That gym incident could easily have been
faked, and those threatening letters of his are so general anyone
could have written them. Even Crunch, with his limited vocabulary."

"You're over reacting."

"Am I? Are you about to ah, risk my good name in order
to prove who's in charge here?" Steele asks.

"If you're so concerned with your name, which incidentally
I gave you, why don't you dig up some proof that Crunch is faking
it. Or would a little leg work prove fatal to your system?"
Laura jabs playfully at his tie as she offers this challenge.

"On the contrary. Those are precisely my intentions."
Answering the challenge, he stands, bumping his head into the
plant. Brushing the leaf away from his face, he walks past Laura
who has a playful smile on her face.

*******************************************

Shelby Sportserve, Inc. is the name on the building. In the office
of Arthur Shelby, Steele is looking at trophies. Shelby's voice
can be heard.

"You can see, Mr. Steele, that Crunch is in with some
pretty impressive clients."

"Indeed, Mr. Shelby, indeed. What's this?" Steele
asks as he picks up a trophy shaped like a basketball and reads,
"To Art, thanks for making it happen."

"Ah yes," Shelby comments. "That was the year
he broke the record for the highest salary in the NBA."

They walk over to a poster of the up coming wrestling match.
"Touching moment I'm sure. Ah, promotion. That's the name
of the game, eh Shelby? Take these, ah, threats on Crunch's life.
The press will really run with that, won't they?

"I resent the insinuation, Mr. Steele. I love wrestling
too much to make a travesty out of it."

"Of course, my apologies. I see also that, ah you manage
Dangerous Darryl. Is that cricket?" Steele asks.

"Oh yes. I've got all the top contenders signed."

"No doubt he'll dearly love to wear Crunch's championship
belt. Eh?"

"Like all the others."

"Any chances?" Steele prompts.

"Hmmm, some day."

"Ooo, the poor boy must be devoured with jealousy."

"Naturally," Shelby adds with a sly laugh. "That's
what makes for a record breaking gate."

At the Golden Crest Retirement Living facility Laura and Crunch
walk down the hallway in conversation. "And when mom died,
Pop was really lost. Then I found this place near the gym so
Pop and I could spend a lot of time together.

"You're a very devoted son," Laura tells him.

"Hey, he busted his buns to put me through college. I owe
him." They stop at a door and Crunch knocks.

From the other side of the door a man asks in a gruff voice,
"Mike?"

"My real name's Mike Molinski," he explains. "Yah
Pop.

Crunch's father opens the door. "Hey, Pop, this is Miss
Holt, a private investigator."

"Oh? Pleased to meet you. Come on in. I heard a woman's
voice. I thought it was Mary. Such a sweet girl. Always bringing
me almond fudge ice cream. Calls every day."

"Pop, Mary and I are divorced, remember?" Crunch
reminds him.

"Ok, ok, I get the message. Sit down, won't you Miss.
Have a piece of fruit?"

Crunch and Laura sit on the sofa. Laura answers him. "Ah
no, no thanks. I just wanted to ask you about the accident at
the gym."

"Ok, my son the jock here, sets down the weights and all
of a sudden the supports look like a pretzel. Next thing I know
he's strangling to death. Thank God it was me there, instead of
Miss What Not in the silk pajamas." He says this last part
with a touch of scorn.

"Mary? Nah. She's just a little ticked off. I mean, here
she tries to sock me for more alimony and the judge reduces it
to a buck a year."

"That seems a bit harsh."

"Well, she's been dragging me in to court every three
months to up the ante and I . . . I guess the judge got a little
fed up with it."

"But she did say she wanted to see you dead?" Laura
asks.

"Yeah, right after she threw the court room steno machine
at me. The judge left her with nothing except a life insurance
policy on me."

"How much is that worth Crunch?"

They stop at the Rabbit. "A million even." Crunch
answers. He opens the car door for her.

"All those zeros can add up to quite a motive for some
people. I think it's time we dropped in on your ex."

***********************************************

They arrive at a white Spanish style house with a for sale sign
in the front yard. They ring the bell but there is no answer.
"Let's check with the neighbors." Laura suggests, "Maybe
they know where she is."

After Laura leaves him, Crunch walks around to the side of
the house. He opens a window and climbs through. Entering the
room he looks around and heads to the mantle where his wrestling
belt is on display.

"Crunch? Is that you?" A woman wearing a robe, her
hair wrapped in a towel asks.

Turning Crunch says, "Ah, hi Mary."

"You've come back," Mary states, strange smile on
her face.

"For my championship belt. Ah, I rang the bell."

"You don't know how long I've dreamed of this moment."

"You have?" he asks.

"Here we are. Just you and I, alone. I was upstairs in
the shower and I heard a noise. And so I ran downstairs and you
were climbing through the window, an intruder! So I grabbed the
gun that you bought me to protect myself." As Mary says this
she pulls a pistol out of the drawer in the table behind her.

"Mary what are you doing?" Crunch asks in a concerned
tone.

"And I couldn't see who it was, so I just closed my eyes
and squeezed." BAM, BAM. As she blindly shoots at him Crunch
runs out of the line of fire.

Laura, talking to one of the neighbors hears the gunshot and
starts running. "Call the police!" she tells them.

Mary continues, "Look at this place! The paint is peeling,"
she fires another shot, BAM, "and the lawn. You see the lawn?
It's brown! - because I can't afford a gardener!" Cornered,
Crunch stares at her.

Suddenly out of nowhere Laura tackles her and wrestles the gun
from her hand. "The ex-Mrs. Molinski, I presume?" she
asks. Looking at Crunch she adds, "Any questions about a
motive?"

A man calls out, "Hey! Somebody help!" Steele, Laura
and Mildred run down the hallway in the direction of the call
for help.

A man is trying to open the steam room door which is jammed.
"Quick give me a hand. The pressure gage is ready to blow,"
the man asks. Steele grabs the handle of the door and pulls. Suddenly
the door flings open and a man in a white robe, falls face down
in front of them. The name Crunch Kramer can be read on the back
of the robe.

"Crunch!" Laura calls out.

"He shrunk." Mildred says.

A man seeing the name on the back of the robe starts yelling.
"Crunch Kramer's dead! Call the cops. Call somebody. Crunch
is dead." He runs off still yelling.

"Hey! What's all the noise?" Crunch approaches clad
in a towel. He bends down to look at the body on the floor.

Steele flips the man over. "Arthur Shelby?"

"We were gonna talk business in the steam room, like always,"
Crunch explains.

Looking up at Laura Steele says, "Well Miss Holt, at least
we can be certain of one thing. Crunch's ex-wife isn't responsible
for this one."

Laura's only response is to push back her hat and shake her
head.

********************************************

The police and authorities are on the scene attending to the
body. A crowd of mostly athletic men stare curiously at the sheet
covered stretcher. Mildred chases off the onlookers. "Ok
you guys, come on, move your buns. Back off the show is over."
The men begin to leave the area and the authorities wheel the
stretcher away.

Laura and Steele have been watching the events from the far
side of the room. Noticing something on the floor Laura bends
down and picks it up. "A parking token," she says as
she looks at the item in her hand.

"Hmmm, yes I must confess Laura, the hype theory's looking
a bit pale right now."

"Someone deliberately jammed the latch so Shelby couldn't
get out. Obviously someone who saw the robe and thought it was
Crunch. Any ideas, Mr. Steele?"

"Yes as a matter of fact, Dangerous Darryl, heir apparent
to Crunch's throne. The very man I came to see. Where was he when
Shelby was being par-boiled, eh?"

As the stretcher is being wheeled out a woman races in and
hugs the body on it. "Crunch! Oh. Oh no! Crunch no! Oh!"

"Whitney," Crunch says.

"Crunch?" Whitney says in surprise. She pulls back
the sheet revealing, "Shelby?" Crunch approaches the
confused woman and embraces her.

"Who is that?" Steele asks.

"Whitney Chambers, star of Rage To Live," Laura replies.

"Rage To Live?" he asks.

Without missing a beat Mildred explains, "She plays Tiffany
Ames, the sophisticated, socialite, heroine. Who, despite all
of her money really has a good heart but is constantly being
hounded by the. . ."

"Mildred, a man is dead and his murderer is on the loose.
I'd hardly call that a happy ending," Laura says to the woman.

"Good point. Catch you later." Mildred leaves on
her errand.

A man enters the gym, pushing past the photographers. "Ok
Whitney, everything's cool. Crunch is ok. Let's get back to the
studio and finish taping, huh?"

"Thank you Todd, but my place is with Crunch right now.
Tell them to shoot around me. I'll come in early tomorrow,"
Whitney tells the man.

Todd is adamant, "I want you back in the studio now. We
have a career to think about. Or at least, we had one until you
started mooning over old Crunchie here. Your image is slipping
badly baby, from high-class right into the dumper."

Crunch says, "You heard her Myerson. She'll be at the
studio tomorrow."

"You know something, Crunch. When I heard that bulletin
you were dead I didn't care. No, that's wrong, I was glad. Glad
you were finally out of my life for good."

******************************************************
Entering Pop's room they find him sitting up in bed. Crunch asks,
"Pop, what happened?"

"Oh, I heard the radio say you were dead. I figured why live.
Then I heard the radio got it wrong. So I guess I'll survive,"
Pop explains.

"I can't tell you how relieved we both are Mr. Molinski.
You really had us frightened," Whitney tells him.

"Thank you Whitney. It's nice of you to come." He
glances at the nightstand and picks up a bottle. "Oh, darn
it. No water for my pill. Whitney, sweet heart, would you be
good enough to get me some ice water, please?"

Once she's left the room Pop says, "I won't talk with
that phony in here."

"Pop will you stop?" Crunch asks his dad.

"Let's face it, she's tinsel. I wouldn't give you two
cents . . . "

"Come on Pop." Crunch says in irritation.

"Mike I know you think I'm being a hard guy but I'm only
thinking of you. Oh, the plans your mother and I had for you.
College graduate, the first in the family. Yeah, what have you
done with it?"

"Hey Pop wrestling's the hottest thing going today."

"Yeah, what about tomorrow when wrestling's not so hot.
Look, your manager's dead. Where are you, without him? It's time
you find a career. Get some foundation. And another thing, you
think Miss soap opera star is gonna give you a family?"

*******************

Walking down the hall Whitney explains the situation to Steele.
"It's like a ritual. I come to visit. The old man sends me
out for ice water so he can tell Crunch to drop me."

"Why?"

"He hates me. He thinks I don't really care for Crunch."
Picking up a pitcher she adds, "That I'm just a flighty actress,
who's using his son for some cheap publicity." Whitney sees
Steele staring at her and questions the look. "What?"

"Nothing, I ah . . . ," he hesitates.

"You don't know what a nice girl like me is doing with
a muscle-bound cartoon like Crunch?" Whitney opens the refrigerator
and fills the pitcher with ice.

"I wouldn't have put it quite like that."

She finishes with the ice, then looks at Steele. "I love
him, Mr. Steele. For some reason, I felt like you'd understand."

"Oh, Todd wasn't with me, I had my limo. I don't know
where he came from."

"Even so, he doesn't seem too keen on your relationship."
Having filled the pitcher with water, they head back.

"The press has labeled our relationship, Beauty and the
Beast."

"Oh!"

"Todd thinks the publicity will ruin my acting and singing
career."

"You sing as well?" Steele asks.

"Soaps don't last forever. My first musical special shoots
live tomorrow night."

"Oh!"

"I'll tell you with Todd, the whole thing comes down to
money. He's been so concerned that Crunch is getting more mileage
out of our relationship than I am, that he actually accused Crunch's
manager of arranging the whole thing."

"He accused Shelby?"

"Oh, it was a big fight. Can you believe it?"

Stopping outside Pop's door Steele says, "On the contrary,
the more I think about it the more sense it seems to make."

****************************************************

As the Rabbit pulls into a parking lot Laura asks Steele, "Do
you really think Myerson might have been gunning for Shelby?"

"It's Hollywood Laura, anything's possible."

Stopping at the gate Steele notes, "You need a token."

"You don't realize how brilliant a deduction that is,
Mr. Steele."

"Done it again, have I?"

"The token I found near Shelby's body." She hands
him the coin.

"Hmmm," looking at the token he reads, "BBP."
He looks at the large sign that Laura points to. "Blueberry
Productions." Realization as he adds, "Todd Myerson's
management company."

"Perhaps it wasn't a case of mistaken identity after all,"
she says.

Laura backs up and drives over the curb and around the gate. As
he holds on, Steele tells her, "Good thinking Laura, hold
on to the evidence at all costs."

*****************************************************

A woman is showing Todd Myerson a poster of Whitney Chambers.
"Oh, no, no, no, no," he complains. "The hair,
it's all wrong," She shows him a second poster. "What
am I looking at here? What? Is she in pain or something?"
he asks the woman. As Laura and Steele enter the office Myerson
asks them, "Would you buy that poster?"

"Eh, Mr. Myerson," Steele begins.

"In a minute." Myerson interrupts him as he"s
shown a third poster. This one he likes. "Ok! Ah, that one
has some possibilities." He rises from his chair. "Class,
that's what we're selling here." Then to Steele and Laura
he suddenly asks, "Weren't you at the gym today?"

"What were you doing at the gym when Shelby was murdered?"
Laura asks.

"I was with Whitney-Ok?"

"Ah, she disagrees old chap," says Steele.

"Get out or I'll call the police," Todd threatens.

"Please do. Go right ahead," Steele tells him.

"So I happened to be down at the gym. Big deal."

Laura comments, "That cut on your knuckle."

Myerson looks at the back of his hand and rubs his knuckles.
"I ran into some coral SCUBA diving."

"Ah, judging by the bruises on Shelby's face it looks
more like your fist connected with his cheek bone," Steele
deduces.

Myerson realizing they don't believe his excuses tells the
truth. "All right, so I hit him but he had it coming, the
slime ball. Do you know how often a Whitney Chambers comes along?
Maybe once in a managers life-but Shelby and that freako Crunch
have been destroying everything I've worked for. I created a Cartier
necklace, they're turning it into rhinestones."

"Negative," he answers. "While we were here
with Myerson, someone made another attempt on Crunch's life."
To Myerson he adds, "Good day."

After Laura and Steele exit the office, Myerson takes a deep
breath.

*************************************************

Laura and Steele walk across a television sound stage. Props
for Whitney's upcoming special fill the area. "Wonderful
Laura, thus far we've produced two prime suspects and personally
provided them both with air tight alibis."

"Hazards of the trade Mr. Steele."

"Great," he agrees.

Crunch is sitting in a chair rubbing his arm as Whitney massages
his back. "What happened?" Steele asks them.

Whitney explains, "I was rehearsing, It's Only a Paper
Moon and Crunch came crashing down."

"I must have dropped thirty feet," Crunch admits.

"Thank God he landed on that." She nods to a large
red piece of furniture. "Saved his life."

"Ah, sure." With his hand on his back for support Todd
stands up slowly.

**************************************************

Back at the gym Crunch and Darryl rehearse the moves for their
upcoming match.. Crunch drives an elbow into Darryl's back sending
him to the mat. Crunch walks to the ropes and does his cheer.
"Crunch!" he cries and claps. He repeats his cheer and
ends with a double bicep pose. As he stands there Darryl approaches
him from behind. He hits him and slings Crunch on to the mat.

"What was that?" Crunch asks.

Darryl shrugs and smiles, "Hip toss. I thought it would
look good."

"You just stick to the routine," Crunch tells him.

They resume their practice. Crunch puts Darryl in a head lock.
Suddenly Darryl bites Crunch. "What in the hell was that?"
Crunch asks in surprise as he rubs his hand.

"Crunch this is a grudge match. I should be pulling out
all the stops so the crowd really hates me." Darryl explains.

"For the last time Darryl stick to the routine, huh?"
Once more they resume their routine.

"Not much," she tells them, watching the practice
session. "Real name Darryl Simmons, former professional body
guard. Had his own florist shop for a while. Un-married, lived
alone."

"Florist shop?" Steele looks slowly up at her in
surprise.

"One!" says Mildred who has been watching the rehearsal.
"Watch this boss. Two!" Crunch bounces off the ropes
past Darryl. "Three!" He bounces off another side of
the ring and once again past Darryl. Mildred calls "Here
it comes. Four!" she laughs. With four, Crunch bounces off
the last side of the ring and flings himself against Darryl and
sending him to the mat.

"All right that's more like it! See you tomorrow night."
Crunch says to Darryl as he stands up.

Laura says, "I do know one thing, Crunch shouldn't go
home tonight for his own safety. So why don't I, ah drop him off
at his father's?"

"Hmmm, good idea, Steele agrees. "Then I think we
should concentrate on how to get the inside story on Dangerous
Darryl, hmmm?"

*****************************************************

"Hey Pop."

"Hey Mike what a pleasant surprise. And you brought Miss
. . ."

"Holt," Crunch supplies.

Father and son pretend to spar "Yeah sorry. So you wanna
spend another night with the old man, huh? Just like old times,
hey, kid." They end up in a clinch and hug.

"On the professional level. But on the emotional level,
I'm afraid only you can help."

"Oh yea, how's that?"

"By coming to the match tomorrow night."

"No! Absolutely not. When he starts wrestling an executive
chair like a normal college graduate, then I'll come."

"But it's important to Crunch. He wants you there."

"Wrong. Whitney, that's who he wants there, so she can
take over his entire life."

"Aren't you being a little harsh? Whitney's a talented
actress, very much in love with your son."

"Actress you can have. And love, huh, that girl is nothing
but a gold digger. You should have heard her and Shelby. You'd
blush."

"Shelby?"

"Talk about hate. Whitney was after Mike to dump Shelby."

"Why?"

"Oh, seems she wanted Mike to be on her TV show. When
Shelby refused to re-arrange Mike's schedule to allow it. She
went nuts."

"I'll bet. Having Crunch appear on Rage To Live would
certainly boost her ratings. I wonder how much she thought that
was worth?"

*****************************************************

A man approaches a house carrying a water bottle on his shoulder.
The logo Filter Pure can be read on the back of his shirt. He
walks up the steps and presses the bell.

As the door opens we see that it's Steele. He smiles nervously
and says in a soft effeminate voice, "Filter Pure man."

Darryl, drink in hand says, "There must be some mistake."

"Oh wow!" Steele says placing his hand to his chest.
"It's really you." Lowering the bottle he introduces
himself. "Uhm, Harley Ferguson president of the Velvet Vandal
fan club, Reseda Chapter. Wow!" He removes his cap and apologizes.
"Oh, I'm sorry for the disguise but I just wanted to tell
you how much pleasure you've given our forty-two members."

"Forty-two?" Darryl says in pleasant surprise.

"Umm hmm."

"Harley would you like to come in?"

"Wow! Oh thank you very much, yes. Oh, look at this."
Steele enters Darryl's home still carrying the water bottle.

"You know I never even knew I had a fan club."

"Really? You've never seen us up in the balcony in our
velvet sweats, uh?"

"No, bless your heart." Darryl takes a bottle of
wine from a bucket of ice. "Here, a lovely '83 Fumé
Blanc from Endicino County." He pours a glass of wine for
Steele and offers it to him.

"Oh, oh thank you. Let me put this down. Thank you very
much." He sets down the water bottle and takes the glass
of wine. "What about a toast, eh? To the Velvet Vandal. May
he tear that bum, Crunch Kramer's guts out tomorrow night and
turn them into sausage."

"I'm snarling on the outside but I'm dying on the inside.
I mean, here Crunch is mister everything, while I'm the big bruising
bad guy. Me, Darryl Simmons who sang in the church choir for fifteen
years." They sit down in the living room. "Who's never
even had a parking ticket. When I think of all those impressionable
kids out there. Ah, what's the use?"

"Major bummer, huh?" Steele asks.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to be hissed and
booed every day of your life? Or having some loud-mouth biddy
jab your derriere with a hat pin where-ever you go?"

"Tsk, tsk."

"Some baba rum balls?" Darryl holds out a plate to
Steele.

"But you're a star. I mean your picture's in all those
magazines. Your, your velvet bow-tie and briefs are a fashion
craze." Steele takes a bite.

"If you only knew." Darryl rises. "That was
his idea. Everything was his idea."

"Who?"

"Crunch Kramer, he owns my contract."

"You're joking? You mean to say... "

"Two years ago in Sausalito, an aspiring young wrestler
named Darryl Simmons saw his flower shop going under. He needed
cash fast. Cramer had me by the biceps. What could I do? I signed
my future away to him. I wish he was dead. God, I wish he was
dead." He throws his glass into the fireplace.

Steele takes a sip of wine and flings his glass into the fireplace
too.

"What are you doing?" Darryl asks him. "That's
Waterford crystal."

"I'm sorry. I thought it was a ritual. Unh" He finishes
his rum ball.

****************************************************

A man throws a glass into a fireplace. "Damn it Tiffany,
what will it take to convince you? Eileen and I had an affair
back then, but Julian is not it my child." The man talking
can be seen on a television monitor.

"I hate it when you lie, Richard. Almost as much as I'm
learning to hate you." Whitney and the other actors can be
seen filming their soap.

"He's telling the truth." Another actor enters the
scene.

"Gunther!"

"Because Julian is my son." The second man finishes.

Laura wearing red-rimmed glasses and carrying a clipboard can
be seen hovering in the background.

"Stop tape," the director says. "Terrific that's
a buy. Let's go to the next set. Good one! Jimmy listen, I am
getting very far behind here. I'm going to need your help over
here. Ok?" He turns and bumps into Laura. "Excuse me."

"Laura Holt," she introduces. "AFI intern in television
directing. Will be observing for two weeks. Love your work."

"Really I didn't know that they put interns on soaps."

"We don't refer to them as soaps, sir. We call them continuing
dramas, an extremely important part of our native culture."

"Well, I've always thought so." The director sounds
pleased.

"Absolutely. I have a question."

"Ask, my child."

"I ah, understand that Whitney Chambers walked off the
set yesterday. How do you handle something like this?"

"Uhm, actors. Should lock 'em up each night, truck 'em
to the set in the morning. You'll learn," he says.

"Well, what happened?" Laura asks.

"Whitney told me that her character would never do what
was in the script. I told her there wasn't time to make a change,
so she promptly marched off and locked herself in the dressing
room."

"Ahh! When did she go in there?"

"About eleven o'clock. Didn't come out - til two."

"So what did you do?"

"The only thing you can do in a situation like that honey.
I caved. I re-wrote the scene. Even read it to her through the
locked door, but she wouldn't answer. Then I gave up. When she
finally came out, she acted as if nothing had happened. Ten minutes,
later she finds out that her boyfriend's had an accident, and
she splits for the rest of the day. Actors!"

"Are you sure Whitney was in her dressing room the entire
three hours?"

"You're really a nut for detail, aren't you?" he
comments.

"It's- the academic in me, I'm afraid."

"No, no, it's charming. Keep it in. To be technical, no
I can't vouch that she was there but - where else would she have
gone?"

Laura turns to Steele, "Look who made it after all."
In the audience is Al Molinski, Crunch's father.

Steele also notes "I see Mrs. Molinski made bail."
In the audience Mary Molinski is booing Crunch.

"I hope you have a score card." Laura points out
Todd Myerson sitting with a young lady.

The bell rings and the match begins. Crunch and Darryl circle
each other.

Steele calls out, "Com'on Crunch! That's my boy!"

Crunch grabs Darryl in an arm lock and flips him onto the mat.
Crunch then turns to the audience and yells out, "Crunch!"
and claps twice. The crowd cheers in response. As Crunch poses
for the audience, Darryl hits him from behind, knocking him into
the ropes. Crunch recovers and grabs Darryl. They fling each other
and Darryl bounces off the ropes only to be grabbed and held in
a head lock by Crunch. Darryl then flips Crunch over his head.
Crunch lands flat on his back and flops around like a fish out
of water. Boos from the crowd except for Mary Molinski, who is
cheering. Darryl holds Crunch in a head lock
until Crunch bounces free and into the ropes. Darryl punches him
and puts him in another head lock. Crunch then swings Darryl into
the ropes and when he rebounds back Darryl knocks Crunch to the
mat. As Darryl leaps into the air Crunch rolls out of the way.
Crunch then kicks him and turning fires up the audience. Crunch
then begins running and bouncing off each of the four sides of
the ring. As he rebounds off each side the crowd calls out. "One,
two, three, four." As Crunch runs into the fourth side, the
ropes break, sending Crunch flying into the audience, knocking
over people and chairs.

Steele, Laura and Mildred stand in surprise and hurry toward
the accident.

Darryl turns to the referee and tells him, "Count, count.
He's got twenty seconds to get back in."

The referee begins to count, "1 . . . , 2 . . .,

"Mind your back," Steele says arriving at where Crunch
has fallen. "Excuse me there darling. Up you get." He
helps a person up and bending over Crunch he pats his face. "Crunch,
Crunch!"

Walking toward the ring in the now empty auditorium Steele
and Laura are in discussion. "Are you sure?" she asks.

"Positive," he replies and picks up the rope for
her to see. "There you go. Cut right through with a sharp
instrument. Wouldn't you think?"

Looking at the cut rope Laura asks, "Dangerous Darryl?"

In the locker room Darryl is packing his things in a gym bag
as Steele and Laura enter. "All hail the champion. Hmm, quite
an upset, eh?" Steele asks.

"Sorry, no autographs, Harley. If you'll excuse me, the
press is waiting."

"Anxious to hear how you cut the ropes, are they?"
Laura asks.

"I beg your pardon," Darryl answers.

Steele pulls out his identification and holds it out for Darryl
to see. "Remington Steele," he introduces. "My
associate, Laura Holt."

"And I thought you were a fan," Darryl says to him
in disappointment.

"Neat trick." Laura notes, "Winning the championship
despite following the script to perfection."

"Out of my way." Darryl tries to leave the room.

"Two days ago, when Shelby was murdered, exactly where
were you Darryl?" Steele asks him. In response, Darryl picks
up Laura and throws her at Steele. Catching her, the two of them
bounce off the lockers, recover and give chase. Darryl, only
slightly ahead of them, has reached the ring.

Seeing Mildred, Laura calls out, "Hat Pin Millie!"

Mildred pulls out a hat pin and as Darryl tries to side step
her, she jabs him in the rear end. "Aaahhh!" he cries
out.

Steele grabs Darryl and spins him around. As he's about to
punch him, Laura picks up the bell hammer and hits Darryl knocking
him out. Steele takes the hammer and looks at it. "Excellent
Laura. Championship belt if ever I saw one."

********************************************************

Inside Steele's apartment there remains of a candlelit dinner
can be seen. Soft music can be heard and Steele and Laura can
be seen slowly dancing their arms wrapped around each other.

"Not exactly a shabby day's work. Darryl behind bars for
the mistaken identity murder of Arthur Shelby," he says to
her softly.

"Are you sure Darryl's alibi won't hold up?"

"Hmm" he answers. "Now on to more urgent matters."
Their lips brush softly.

"Pleased?" Laura asks.

"Case closed. You in my arms. What more could I ask for?"
Their lips touch again deepening into a real kiss.

"Hmm, I think you just answered my question." He
starts to kiss her again.

Buzzzz! The doorbell sounds.

"Don't answer it." Laura whispers and kisses him
again.

The buzzer becomes more insistent.

Steele goes to answer the door. "Yes?

"Mildred!" They both say in exasperation. Laura throws
her hands up and sits down.

"Your phones out of order," she tells him.

"For a reason, Mildred," Steele says in annoyance.

Mildred walks into the apartment. "Turn on the TV. Maybe
they'll do a recap on the late show."

"A recap of what Mildred?" Laura asks. "Couldn't
this wait till morning, on company time?"

"I'm telling you, I am so consumed with the Crunch Kramer
case that I forgot to eat." She goes to the table and picks
up a bread stick.

"Ah, consumed by what Mildred?" asks Steele.

"The thought that you nailed the wrong guy for murder."
She takes a bite.

"What?" Steele asks in surprise.

"I'm telling you, when I left the arena something didn't
sit right. So I went home and I did what you did."

"I doubt that very much Mildred." Steele says. Laura
and Mildred both look at him.

"I paced back and forth, reviewing every detail. Now,
we eliminated Crunch's ex-wife because she was with you when Shelby
was murdered. So was Whitney's manager when someone tried to turn
out Crunch's lights at Whitney's rehearsal. But what about Darryl,
hmmm?" Laughing she continues, "And it hit me. Darryl,
too, has an air tight alibi."

"He does?" Laura asks.

"There it was on the TV. I caught the last bit of Whitney's
special tonight after the match. They showed her coming down on
that big moon and it hit me." She punches her palm for emphasis.

"Not hard enough as far as I'm concerned." Steele
comments.

"I picked up the phone and called the sound stage. Sure
enough, the stage manager told me that the moon is part of Whitney's
routine. Yesterday when Crunch Kramer came down on it, it was
simply a gag."

"Meaning that whoever cut the cable was out to kill Whitney.
Which leaves - Dangerous Darryl without a motive," concludes
Laura.

"Pretty good, uh?" Mildred asks.

"Hmmm?" Steele replies. "Oh absolutely magic
Mildred. You made a perfect evening disappear," he snaps
his fingers, "like that." Walking past the two women
he picks up a small pillow and begins to pace back and forth.

Laura asks, "Now the question is, with Mary Molinski,
Todd Myerson and Dangerous Darryl out of the picture, whom does
that leave?" She waves at him. "Mr. Steele would you
stop pacing?"

"What? It worked for Mildred."

"All right, think now. Who would have it in for both Whitney
and Shelby?"

"I was just on my way to see Crunch. If you'd like to
get the car, we could go together."

"I already got it."

"Terrific. Here, could you help me on with my coat?"
She places her arm in the sleeve and turns so he can assist her,
then slams into him, knocking him off balance. She runs to the
set full of props from her special.

From behind on of the large props she confronts him. "They'll
know it's you."

"Me? Ha! A feeble old man everybody thinks can't even
stay awake for Merv Griffin. And you, a young bimbo all alone
here after midnight." She shoves the over-sized rocking horse
at him and runs away.

The limo pulls up in front of the studio. Steele and Laura
race into the building.

Whitney reaches a corner and stops. "Please! For Crunch's
sake," she calls out.

She screams as Mr. Molinski grabs her from behind.

Laura and Steele enter the control room.

Laura points, "Over there."

"Get the lights," Steele tells her as he heads out
the room.

Laura looks at the panel and flips a switch. "Stars and
Stripes Forever" fills the studio.

Steele walks through the props. One of them starts to come
down right beside him. He turns and looks at it

Laura reacts in surprise and tries another switch.

Lights come on but they're focused on Steele. Shielding his
eyes from the blinding light he calls to her, "Not on me
Laura, on the stage."

Laura, muttering something inaudible tries yet another switch
and a large chandelier crashes down behind Steele. Suddenly lights
begin to flame on a large sign reading, WHITNEY.

Laura, her mouth open, looks stunned.

Steele also looks stunned, but he is now able to see Mr. Molinski
hovering over Whitney, strangling her. He runs over to them and
pulls Molinski off her, and slings him on to a piece of furniture.

Steele tells him talking loudly over the blaring music, "It's
all over Mr. Molinski. There you go."

"Al Molinski's psychiatric evaluation just arrived. He
may never go to trial." She slides the folder on the desk.
"The poor guy." Sitting on the desk she continues,
"The thought of loosing his son to show business was more
than he could stand. To him, Whitney symbolized the entire industry."

"Hmmm," Steele replies looking at the report. "and
he thought Shelby was responsible for Crunch's success. By killing
Shelby, he thought Crunch's career would collapse."

"I just thought of that old movie," Laura says.

Looking up at her, Steele asks, "What old movie?"

"You know. A Bill of What-cha-ma-call-it with Who's-its
and What's-his-name."

"Ah yes, A Bill of Divorcement." He looks up. "John
Barrymore, Katherine Hepburn, RKO 1932. A mentally disturbed father
tries to disrupt his daughter's marriage. Not bad for a beginner
Laura." He smiles at her.

"I'm learning, Mr. Steele," she says softly and leans
across the desk . She flashes her eyes at him, suggestively.

"So you are, Miss Holt," he says seductively. "So
you are." Slipping his hand behind her neck he draws her
closer and they kiss.